Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a renal disease, the composition comprising Neuropeptide Y as an active ingredient. Another exemplary embodiments relate to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a renal disease, the composition comprising a Y1 receptor activator as an active ingredient. Still another exemplary embodiments relate to a method for treating or reducing an anticancer agent-induced nephrotoxic injury, the method comprising the step of administering a Y1 receptor activator in an amount effective to treat or reduce the anticancer agent-induced nephrotoxic injury in a subject. Still another exemplary embodiments relate to a method for screening an agent for treating or reducing an anticancer agent-induced nephrotoxic injury, the method comprising (a) applying a candidate material to a test sample of renal tissues or cells; and (b) identifying a Y1receptor signaling in the test sample of renal tissues or cells.
Discussion of the Background
The kidneys are two organs found on the left and right sides of the body in vertebrates. Each kidney is made up of about 1 million nephrons as a basic structure, while a nephron carries out its functions of filtering and reabsorbing and is composed of fine capillary masses called glomeruli and renal tubules.
A renal disease refers to a condition in which the physiological functions of the kidneys in terms of excretion, regulation, metabolism and endocrinology are either entirely deteriorated or abnormal.
The renal disease may be classified, but is not limited to, as acute renal dysfunction or chronic renal failure according to its progression; diabetic nephropathy caused by complications such as glomerulonephritis due to deposition of vascular complex, diabetes and hypertension; toxic nephropathy caused by administration of drugs such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs; and urinary tract infection caused by bacterial infection. Regardless of the cause of the renal disease, if the renal abnormality chronically progresses and the glomerular filtration rate is reduced to less than 50%, the glomerular filtration rate continuously decreases in most cases, eventually reaching the end-stage renal dysfunction in which complications such as hematologic abnormalities, nervous system complications, gastrointestinal complications, immunological complications, infection and bone dystrophy occur and, in severe cases, lead to death.
The occurrence of the renal disease is increasing around the world every year. Further, since its symptoms do not appear or are unnoticed in many cases, it often leads to an end-stage renal dysfunction upon its detection. There are about 450,000 patients with renal dysfunction in the Republic of Korea, while it is expected to have more patients afflicted with renal disease in consideration of patients with early-stage renal dysfunction.
Regarding the treatment of renal dysfunction, although there are treatment methods such as long-term dialysis and renal transplantation, those methods do not provide means for treating the early-stage and mid-stage problems of chronic renal dysfunction. Moreover, the cost of treatment is significantly high, causing a serious financial burden on the country and patient families.
Accordingly, a safe and effective agent for treating a renal disease and a method for screening such a therapeutic agent are urgently required.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.